Cricket At LA 2028 Olympics: 6 Men's & Women's Teams To Compete For Gold Medal In T20 Format; Check Details
Cricket is all set to mark a historic return to the Olympic stage after more than a century, with the sport confirmed to feature in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. This will be the first time in 128 years that cricket appears in the Olympics, with the last appearance dating back to the 1900 Paris Games.
A total of six teams will compete in both men's and women's competitions, with 90 players involved in each event. While the final qualification process is still being developed, it is expected to be a competitive. As the host nation, the USA is likely to secure automatic qualification.
Which countries will play in the six-team event at LA 2028?
Currently, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, and West Indies hold the top five positions in the ICC T20I men's rankings, while Australia, England, New Zealand, India, and South Africa occupy the top slots in the women's rankings. Given that the Olympics is still a fair way away, the rankings are likely to change. The bottom-ranked teams will be focussed on improving their rankings with an Olympic gold at stake.
The process to include cricket in the Los Angeles Games began in August 2021, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally announced its intent to campaign for its inclusion. This led to a collaborative effort between the ICC and the LA28 Organising Committee, culminating in October 2023 when cricket was officially proposed as one of five new sports.
Which other sports have been included besides cricket?
Cricket’s inclusion comes alongside four other sports being introduced in LA28 squash, flag football, lacrosse, and baseball/softball. The IOC Executive Board approved these additions on April 9, increasing the number of medal events to 351—22 more than what’s scheduled for the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, the core athlete cap of 10,500 remains unchanged, with an additional 698 athletes set to participate across the five new sports.
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